Gary Johnson would like to keep Bristol City youngster Joe Edwards for longer, but admitted that timing was of the essence when approaching talks.

The versatile full-back’s loan at Yeovil expires at the end of next month, with his contract at his parent club due for renewal at the end of the season.

Edwards scored the only goal of the Glovers’ clash with Hartlepool on Saturday, converting Sam Foley’s cross while playing in a more advanced right wing role.

Yeovil manager Johnson said: “At the moment, we are happy to have him. Like all young players, they are up and down, but he has certainly been beneficial to us and we would like to keep him, of course we would.

“But he is not our player and we are going to have to ask permission at the right time.”

Hartlepool’s long-ball approach, coupled with a lack of attacking spark from the hosts, produced an uninspiring encounter at Huish Park.

However, victory took the Glovers to within four points of the League One play-off places and extended their recent record in the division to five wins from seven outings.

Although acknowledging the dour nature of the game, Johnson praised his team’s resilience as they weathered an aerial bombardment.

“You can’t be like Barcelona every week. You can be like Barcelona every now and again within a game and every now and again we were,” he said.

“But we have got to make sure that lasts for longer. We had one half last week, but what we have got to be sure of, when the game isn’t going for you for whatever reason, that you are hanging on in there and your team are giving everything to stay in that game.

“I thought in our defending of the penalty area we did just that, which is credit to the players today.”